Red Sox Closer Aroldis Chapman Injured! Velocity Drops, Exit Stage Left!

Boston Red Sox fans held their breath on Sunday as closer Aroldis Chapman was pulled from the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning due to an apparent injury. The hard-throwing lefty, normally a dominant force, didn't look like himself, sparking concern about his condition.

Chapman's Rough Outing

Chapman's troubles began immediately. He walked Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts to start the eighth inning, with the walk to Rojas even including a pitch-clock violation. After getting Shohei Ohtani to fly out, Chapman was seen walking gingerly, prompting manager Alex Cora and a trainer to rush to the mound. The decision was quickly made to remove him from the game, with Jordan Hicks taking over.

Velocity Down Significantly

The specifics of Chapman's injury remain unknown, but one thing was clear: his fastball velocity was significantly down. He averaged just 94.6 mph on his fastball, a noticeable drop from his season average of 98.5 mph. His fastest pitch of the day barely touched 95.8 mph, a stark contrast to the heat he usually brings.

Recent Performance

Before Sunday's game, Chapman had experienced a mixed bag of results. He had his longest outing of the season earlier in the week but also blew a save against the Phillies. However, he bounced back on Saturday, striking out Mookie Betts to secure a dramatic Red Sox victory.

• Walked two batters to start the 8th inning.
• Velocity significantly lower than usual.
• Removed from the game with an apparent injury.

Chapman has been a key part of the Red Sox bullpen this season, boasting a 1.31 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 41 ⅓ innings before Sunday. The Red Sox will be hoping his injury is not serious, as they rely on him heavily in late-game situations.